After guiding the Browns to a win over the 49ers lots of people are thinking that Johnny Manziel may be the QB of the future that the Browns have been looking for since 1999. One thing that has to be considered is that the 49ers could not beat the Sisters of the Perpetually Miserable on a consistent basis. The SF O and D linemen should be bagging groceries at the local Piggly Wiggly.

NOTE: On NNR Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports and I discussed the news of the day, injuries from the previous week, and reviewed all of this week’s games including a detailed analysis of the Browns game.

I am not among the group that feels he is an NFL starting quality player. But unlike most of the others, I am going to tell you why.

Manziel’s footwork is bad and he is not stepping into his throws. Way too often he throws flat footed. It is very hard to be accurate doing that. In addition he does not step into his throws. That also hurts his accuracy.

He is not consistent in his throwing platform. Even at his height he throws side armed. That will get a lot of passes batted up in the air causing potential interceptions. He needs to work on his over the top delivery. That would help in the accuracy as well as allowing fewer passes to be batted up.

Manziel lacks poise in the pocket when he is under pressure. Unfortunately that happens a lot for any Browns QB. His instinct is to run out of the pocket leaving any protection and risking injury. We saw the interception he threw across his body to the middle of the field as he was getting hit. That can not happen.

He misses WRS that were wide open because Manziel still doesn’t see the field well. On a team with WRS that struggle to get open it can’t have that. The problem is not his height. Russell Wilson is shorter than Manziel but still sees the field very well. The problem is his lack of focus.

He lacks touch particularly on short throws. If you remember Derick Anderson never completing a pass to a running back you have seen a lot of BAD football. Manziel puts way too much heat on short throws. Add that to the fact that RBS tend to have much worse hands than experienced WRS and that takes away one of the potential weapons of the Browns.

Manziel takes chances throwing into coverage. Those that have great arms tend to trust it to get the ball into very tight coverages. Even those like Manziel that have just a decent arm do that as well. Johnny trusts his arm way too much.

He is not carrying out his fakes. To be effective,play action requires a good fake. Failure to carry out the fake allowed the linebackers to ignore it and stay in zone coverage. It also negates the threat of his run ability. That would open up the running lanes for the backs.

All these things can be fixed but will not unless be unless Manziel changes his attitude & practice habits. While he has shown some dedication to the team and his craft, he is someone the I would not trust with my career were I the head coach or general manager. His action after he was named the starter for the rest of the season was all I needed to see.

If I was the GM I would take a QB with the 1st round pick because the Browns can not trust Manziel.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK. Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend. My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports. Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels onand a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

He also edits.

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

Note: On NNR now Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports & I previewed the AFC and NFC Championship games including my picks against the spread. Then College Insider Kelron Sykes and I discussed the NCAA Championship game and some of the NFL news. The podcasts are on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

Former Texans HC Gary Kubiak is with the Ravens and had said he was not willing to interview for a HC job. But things changed when he got a call from the Broncos. Now he reportedly will take an interview.

The problem is that the one team that Peyton Manning wanted to go to when he left Indy was the Texans with Kubiak as HC. Frankly they said “thanks but no thanks.”

Peyton does not fit at all in the roll out passing game of Kubiak. That and the fact that Kubiak rebuffed Peyton’s request to come tell me that if Kubiak is the choice, Peyton will move on.

The only chance that Denver has to keep Peyton is to promote the OC Adam Gase to the HC spot. Peyton and Gase have a very good relationship. If the Broncos select Kubiak, then that tells me that they do not want Peyton back at all. There is a 19 million dollar salary owed to him with over a 21 million dollar cap hit. While it is possible that they could pay him and still resign critical free agents, that is not at all likely.

That is what I think. Tell us what you think by commenting here or tweeting me @NNRonDSN.

NOTE: News, Notes and Rumors podcast are BACK. Check out our thoughts on Fridays about the games coming up and Monday on the results of the weekend. My co-host is Samantha Bunten of NBC Sports. Podcasts can be heard on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/. Thanks for your support.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels onand a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/. Follow him on twitter @NNRonDSN to get the schedule of Special News, Notes and Rumors broadcasts. You can hear the previous shows on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

He also edits.

To keep up with the News, Notes & Rumors podcasts, follow me on twitter @NNRonDSN.

Photo of Cleveland Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano around 1979. Taken in the team’s lockerroom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christmas gifts for NFL Teams.

AFC

Browns: I give the Browns a head coach that will let Weeden be Weeden. Shurmur is way too much of a control freak to allow his QB to even audible out of a bad play. He has to go.

Steelers: The team needs an offensive line. Being a Browns fan I give them a subscription to Direct TV so the players can watch the playoffs on the team set.

Bengals: I give them a steep decline of both the Steelers and Ravens. That not only helps them but helps the Browns as well.

Ravens: I wish the Ratbirds nothing but bad luck forever. They stole the Browns and deserve to suffer for it. I also wish that former Browns owner Art Muddle never gets elected to the HOF. He deserves to be elected to the hall of infamy.

Chiefs: The team needs a QB. But the 2013 draft class is not stocked with sure fire QB prospects. They “won” the first overall draft pick by being a team that could not beat the Sisters of Perpetual Misery. That must be the school where they got both QBs Cassel and Quinn.

Chargers: I give them a coach that has a sense of urgency to win and a new GM as well. HC Norv Turner has sleepwalked through several seasons. It is WAY past time for him to go. GM Smith has not chosen wisely.

Broncos: For a Browns fan, wishing anything good to Denver is hard. But I would like to see Payton Manning get a 2nd Super Bowl win. He deserves it. If not, he should get the football version of the movie Career Achievement Award. He is a sure first ballot HOF selectee.

Colts: My wish for the Colts is that coach Chuck Pagano recovers fully from his illness. He deserves to and the team under interim HC Bruce Arians has earned a playoff spot. Arians deserves to be a candidate for a HC job based not only on his job as interim but also his offensive expertise.

Texans: I wish the Texans a heart. To lose games at home like they have is inexcusable. They have a very solid QB and great RB so how do they score 6 points last week against the Vikes.

Titans: A do-over on the decision to let a great HC go. Letting HC Fisher go was stupid. They have a good running back in Johnson. His only problem is being slowed down by a over-stuffed wallet. QB Locker needs better coaching to get up to an NFL starting level.

Pats: My wish for the Pats is early retirement of QB Brady. I want to see if Brady made Belichick or if it was the other way around. My guess is Billy B will not find it as easy to win without a HOF QB.

Bills: The Bills are in need of just about everything. But most of all they need a QB. Fitzpatrick has the head but not the physical skills to be successful.

Jets: For them I wish a muzzle. If I never heard the word Jets again it would be WAY too soon.

NFC

Giants: I wish the Giants better health in 2013. The team always seems to be decimated by injuries. The question that keeps recurring is that the result of bad luck or an outcome of practice techniques.

Cowboys: I wish them and Jerry Jones a nice off season. It will be longer because JJ can’t select the right people in the draft and will not give up his role as GM.

Eagles: My gift to them is the luck to find a coach good enough to last 14 years like Reid. That will not be an easy job. I also wish coach Reid the peace he deserves. He has suffered a lot over the last few years. He is a good man and deserves better.

Redskins: I wish the Skins a healthy RG3 for the future. He is fun to watch and I hope he can continue to play for a long time.

Bears: I wish the team and QB Cutler better OL play. He has been beaten badly game after game. He deserves better protection.

Lions: I wish the Lions a brain. They are way too talented to continue to play stupid football.

Vikes: This team needs a QB to take pressure off of RB Peterson. Ponder is not the answer in my opinion.

Saints: The team needs some closure on the bounty scandal. The scandal and its publicity have destroyed the 2012 season of a good team.

Bucs: I wish QB Freeman some WRs that can catch. With an outstanding young RB like Martin, some quality receivers would really help the O.

Cards: I give coach Whisenhunt a job with a better GM than he has at Arizona. He is a great coach but GM Graves couldn’t find a QB in the Football Hall of Fame. My first choice for the Browns would be Whisenhunt.

49ers: I wish them luck with QB Kaepernick. He is solid and will develop into a top 5 QB. Like RG3 he is fun to watch as well.

Seahawks: They already got their gift in 3rd round QB Russell Wilson. As I said in my pre-draft radio shows he was the 3rd best QB in the 2012 draft and will be a champion before he is done.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels onand a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

Joe Montana on the set of an ESPN broadcast. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#5 John Elway – Denver Broncos

John Elway had about a storied of a career as you can have as a quarterback. After much Super Bowl disappointment early in his career Elway ended his storybook career as a signal caller who back-to-back Super Bowl crowns. Maybe the most famous of Elway’s career was the 98 yard drive he led the Broncos on in the 1987 AFC Championship vs. the Browns to secure Denver a trip to the Super Bowl. He was a 9-time pro bowler, NFL Hall of Famer, and 1987 league MVP. When we think Broncos nowadays we think John Elway, who is now apart of the team’s front office as well.

#4 Johnny Unitas – Baltimore Colts

Yeah, he played for other teams, but Unitas was above all a Baltimore Colt. Unitas was important to the game because he absolutely revolutionized what we know now as the passing game. He is looked at by many as being the original QB prototype that all others after him would be judged. Unitas played in the pre-Super Bowl era so he had 3 NFL championships and was named a pro-bowler 10 times. He was a 3 time MVP and truly the player of his generation with his legendary black high top cleats and flattop haircut.

#3 Tom Brady – New England Patriots

Tom is a three time Super Bowl Champion which isn’t bad for a guy who was picked in the sixth round of the draft out of Michigan. Brady has amassed 2 league MVP’s and a Super Bowl MVP to go along with his absolute assault on the statistical record books as well. Brady’s career is still a work in progress and we could see him at the top of this list before all is set and done.

#2 Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts

Manning is still writing his novel as an NFL quarterback as well and he is already the fastest QB to 4,000 completions and the fastest to 50,000 yards as well. He is an 11-time pro bowler and before missing all of last season with a freak neck injury had started every game of his career. He has one Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, and has been the league MVP 3 times to boot. The way he directs an offense is absolutely beautiful to watch so here is to hoping his health allows him to do so for years to come.

#1 Joe Montana – San Francisco 49ers

Yes, we know he played for the Chiefs towards the end, but Joe was a 49er. Joe stands above the rest because of his big plays in the games biggest moments. He is a 4-time Super Bowl Champ and 3-time Super Bowl MVP. He was no slouch in the regular season winning 2 league MVP awards as well. He still holds the postseason record with 45 TD passes and has clutch moments in the playoffs that will live in the NFL forever. Also of note is the fact that in his four Super Bowls, Montana threw 0 interceptions. Not bad, especially for a skinny and lanky 3rd round pick that people said would never amount to much in the NFL.

Danny is guest writer and devoted Football fan who loves to watch games on 3D TV for the added viewing enhancement.

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Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com and was a senior writer for . He has also published several novels onand a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.